Rubblebucket's irresistible new single, "Stella The Begonia" is out now.
A lot of this new single's strength lies in its familiarity, and yet, somehow it's difficult to precisely place it. Of Montreal or Dr. Dog maybe come to mind, and certainly this is RIYL the respective projects of Rubblebucket's co-front-persons Alex Toth (Tōth) or Kalmia Traver (Kalbells). But Rubblebucket just have such a strong personality. They've spent 15 years twisting and turning it and dressing it up differently on each release, masterfully so, but that personality shines through. And it's full of humor and a kind of joy and lightness that is infectious and memorable. "Stella The Begonia" is, after all, a groovy and explosive love song to a plant. The band says:
"Stella and its parent plant, Edgar, have been with members of Rubblebucket nearly since the band’s inception. 'Stella The Begonia' is a tribute to and celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of Rubblebucket."
"Stella The Begonia" is a love song to a plant. This is a song about finding strength and love in our beautiful interconnection, especially in the face of pain and uncertainty. "Taking care of Stella over the years, watching it turn to face the sun, holding the light in the mornings, bending and striving to keep living has inspired a heightening of my own desire to be alive and helped me through times of loneliness."
The song masterfully ties together so many influences into a beautiful simplicity. The song starts with a drone and rhythm ace drum machine ala the band Suicide and dances between a psychedelic groove, Stereolab-esque tropicalia and New Orleans marching band style horns.
Rubblesucket Live:
May 24- StrangeCreek Campout | Greenfield, MA
July 05 - Blue Heron Music Festival | Sherman, NY
July 12 - Ballard Seafood Festival | Seattle, WA
One of the most compelling groups on the scene since the early 2010s, Rubblebucket’s seeds were sown when Kalmia Traver and AlexToth, the group’s front persons, co-writers and co-producers, first began a friendship as jazz students at the University of Vermont. Soon after, they formed Rubblebucket, using the project to delve into pop, funk, dance and psychedelia; performances have spanned Bonnaroo to Glastonbury to their self-curated Dream Picnic Festival, and they’ve collaborated with kindred genre-blenders including Arcade Fire and Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears. Their latest full-length LP Earth Worship showcases intricately sparkling beats, hooky vocals, and irresistible melodic complexity—a celebration of togetherness, environmental curiosity, and the pleasure of doing what you love.
Clandestine was founded in 2010 by the owners of Northern Spy Records to help like-minded labels and artists release and promote their music. Today, we’ve expanded to include a team of project managers, sales experts, manufacturing specialists, and publicists who bring decades of music and label experience to bear for our clients. We specialize in the marketing and distribution of experimental and adventurous music and, in the last fourteen years, have helped release over one thousand albums.